When the YouVersion Bible App quietly crossed one billion downloads worldwide, it marked far more than a technological milestone. It signaled a global movement—one rooted in Scripture, powered by innovation, and unfolding one life at a time.
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Greg Hall, Chief Operating and Growth Officer at YouVersion, doesn’t talk about the number lightly. “A billion is almost bigger than you can get your mind around,” he says. “But for us, it’s not about the headline. It’s about one person, one story, one encounter with God’s Word—multiplied a billion times.”
Founded 17 years ago, YouVersion is the team behind the Bible App, now installed in every country in the world. What began as a simple question—Could technology help people connect with Scripture more meaningfully?—has become one of the most far-reaching Scripture engagement tools in history.
And the growth is far from slowing down.
In 2024 alone, the Bible App saw more than 150 million new installs. Daily engagement is rising even faster. Average daily usage now hovers around 15.8 million people worldwide, with peak days surpassing 19 million users opening Scripture together. In November alone, daily engagement jumped 17 percent.
“What excites us most,” Hall explains, “is not just getting the Bible into people’s hands—but into their hearts.”
That hunger is being felt across continents. In sub-Saharan Africa, daily Bible App usage is up more than 26 percent. In the Middle East and North Africa, it has surged by 33 percent. Even in North America—YouVersion’s largest market—double-digit growth continues.
“This really is a global movement,” Hall says. “Every install represents an opportunity for God to change a life, and we’re seeing that happen everywhere.”
The origin story of YouVersion is almost as remarkable as its reach. It began in a TSA line at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, where founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald found himself asking a simple question while waiting: What if technology could help people connect with God’s Word?
That question sparked what would eventually become a website, then an app, and ultimately a global ministry.
The one-billion-download milestone was celebrated in November at the “Beyond a Billion” event in Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center. More than 13,000 people attended in person, with millions more watching via livestream and broadcast. During the event, nearly 200 people made decisions to give their lives to Christ.
“Above everything else,” Hall says, “that night celebrated the Bible—and what God has done and will continue to do through His Word.”
One of YouVersion’s most ambitious commitments is accessibility. Today, the Bible App offers more than 3,500 Bible versions in over 2,300 languages—made possible through partnerships with Bible publishers and translation organizations around the world.
“We say we’re powered by partners,” Hall explains. “No matter where you are, we want you to open the app and feel like it was made for you—in your heart language.”
Yet the work is far from finished. An estimated 1.5 billion people still don’t have even a single verse of Scripture translated into their native language.
“That’s why we believe the first billion installs are just the beginning,” Hall says. “As new translations become available, we move quickly to get them into the app so people can start reading right away.”
For Hall, the impact of technology on Scripture engagement is deeply personal—and profoundly hopeful.
He shares the story of Lauren, a mother from Baltimore, whose son Kent is on the autism spectrum. For the first two years of his life, Kent was nonverbal. But when Lauren installed Bible App for Kids on her tablet, something unexpected happened.
As Kent watched the animated Bible stories, he began repeating them.
“The first words she ever heard her son speak were God’s Word,” Hall says.
Today, Kent is thriving in high school and consistently makes the Dean’s Honor Roll. Lauren often says it best: God’s Word gave my son words.
“That transformation wouldn’t have happened without technology,” Hall reflects. “And it wouldn’t have happened without partners, vision, and a willingness to ask how God might use innovation to change lives.”
As YouVersion’s Chief Operating and Growth Officer, Hall carries the weight of that influence humbly.
“It’s deeply humbling,” he admits. “I don’t feel worthy of this role. We’re stewarding something sacred—connecting people with the living Word of God.”
Behind the app is a diverse team of engineers, designers, data scientists, and content creators based in Oklahoma City. But Hall says every one of them is a pastor at heart—driven by care for “the one” who hasn’t yet encountered Scripture.
Looking ahead, YouVersion’s vision remains bold and simple: God’s Word, everyone, everywhere, every day.
That includes continued innovation across its family of apps—the Bible App, Bible App Lite (now with over 100 million installs in regions with limited connectivity), and Bible App for Kids. It also includes expanding the YouVersion platform to partner with developers around the world.
“It almost feels silly to have a vision with three ‘everys’ in it,” Hall says with a smile. “But we believe God has called us to think that big.”
For those curious to explore the Bible App, Hall offers a simple invitation: download it from the App Store or Google Play, and begin reading.
“It’s a love story,” he says. “One God has written to humanity—and we see it changing lives every day.”
One billion downloads in, and YouVersion is just getting started.
